A Raisin In The Sun Prologue And Scene Script

A Raisin In The Sun

Prolouge: A crammed apartment of 5 people and one on the way.

Consisting of lots of arguments and disagreements.

To be a doctor or not to be?

That’s the real question here.

Beneatha wants to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor, But Walter thinks she’s incapable of the big task of saving people's lives.

Is Walter right?

Are women not able to hold such a great responsibility?

Are women inferior to men?

The answer is no.

Men and women should have equal roles in society.

Walter looks down towards all the women in the Younger household except his Mother.

He thinks Beneatha shouldn’t be a doctor, And he thinks his wife, Ruth, should stay cleaning people’s houses.

He doesn’t think any woman is worth anything except his Mother.

Walter needs to learn that women have much more strength than men.

He needs to know that women aren’t inferior to men, and that they can do so much more than he thinks.

He needs to start putting his family first before his selfish needs.

Ruth on the other hand, She needs to learn to stick up and defend herself, Or else Walter will never learn.

What kind of role model is that for Travis?

Travis shouldn’t have that kind of influence in his life and learn that that’s how you’re supposed to treat a woman.

Walter needs to learn, Then he can teach Travis.

Guiding Question: ​Should men’s priorities come before women’s?

Act 1, Scene 1 WALTER (Looking at his sister intently) You know the check is coming tomorrow.

BENEATHA (Turning on him with a sharpness all her own) That money belongs to Mama, Walter, and it’s for her to decide how she wants to use it. I don’t care if she wants to buy a house or a rocket ship or just nail it up somewhere and look at it. It’s hers. Not ours—hers.

WALTER (Bitterly) Now ain’t that fine! You just got your mother’s interest at heart, ain’t you, girl?

You such a nice girl—but if Mama got that money she can always take a few thousand and help you through school too—can’t she?

BENEATHA I have never asked anyone around here to do anything for me!

WALTER No! And the line between asking and just accepting when the time comes is big and wide—ain’t it!

BENEATHA CAN’T TAKE WALTERS JUDGEMENT. SHE WISHES THAT WALTER WOULD BE MORE UNDERSTANDING OF HER DECISIONS AND SUPPORT HER ON HER CHOICES. BENEATHA (With fury) What do you want from me, Brother— that I quit school or just drop dead, which!

WALTER I don’t want nothing but for you to stop acting holy ’round here. Me and Ruth done made some sacrifices for you—why can’t you do something for the family?

RUTH Walter, don’t be dragging me in it.

WALTER You are in it— Don’t you get up and go work in somebody’s kitchen for the last three years to help put clothes on her back?

RUTH Oh, Walter—that’s not fair …

WALTER It ain’t that nobody expects you to get on your knees and say thank you, Brother; thank you, Ruth; thank you, Mama—and thank you, Travis, for wearing the same pair of shoes for two semesters— WALTER FEELS LIKE EVERYONE IS TRYING TO TARGET HIM AND HE THINKS NOBODY NOTICES HIS HARD WORK AND SUPPORT. HE WANTS PEOPLE TO PRAISE HIM LIKE HE SEES HIMSELF. AS A KING.

BENEATHA (Dropping to her knees) Well—I do—all right?— thank everybody! And forgive me for ever wanting to be anything at all! (Pursuing him on her knees across the floor) FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE ME, FORGIVE ME! RUTH Please stop it! Your mama’ll hear you.

WALTER Who the hell told you you had to be a doctor? If you so crazy ’bout messing ’round with sick people—then go be a nurse like other women—or just get married and be quiet …

WALTER THINKS THAT WOMEN HAVE CERTAIN ROLES IN SOCIETY. HE DOESN’T THINK WOMEN SHOULD BE DOCTORS, HE THINKS THEY SHOULD BE NURSES BECAUSE IT SOUNDS MORE FEMININE. BENEATHA Well—you finally got it said … It took you three years but you finally got it said.

Walter, give up; leave me alone—it’s Mama’s money.

WALTER He was my father, too!

BENEATHA So what? He was mine, too—and Travis’ grandfather—but the insurance money belongs to Mama. Picking on me is not going to make her give it to you to invest in any liquor stores—(Underbreath, dropping into a chair)—and I for one say, God bless Mama for that!